RETURN TO NAPLES - Chapter IX
My Short But Happy Stay at Naples--The Duke de Matalone My
Daughter--Donna Lucrezia--My Departure
I shall not, dear reader, attempt the impossible, however much I
should like to describe the joy, the happiness, I may say the
ecstasy, which I experienced in returning to Naples, of which I
had such pleasant memories, and where, eighteen years ago, I had
made my first fortune in returning from Mataro. As I had come
there for the second time to keep a promise I had made to the Duke
de Matalone to come and see him at Naples, I ought to have visited
this nobleman at once; but foreseeing that from the time I did so
I should have little liberty left me, I began by enquiring after
all my old friends.
I walked out early in the morning and called on Belloni's agent.
He cashed my letter of credit and gave me as many bank-notes as I
liked, promising that nobody should know that we did business
together. From the bankers I went to see Antonio Casanova, but
they told me he lived near Salerno, on an estate he had bought
which gave him the title of marquis. I was vexed, but I had no
right to expect to find Naples in the statu quo I left it. Polo
was dead, and his son lived at St. Lucia with his wife and
children; he was a boy when I saw him last, and though I should
have much liked to see him again I had no time to do so.
It may be imagined that I did not forget the advocate, Castelli,
husband of my dear Lucrezia, whom I had loved so well at Rome and
Tivoli. I longed to see her face once more, and I thought of the
joy with which we should recall old times that I could never
forget. But Castelli had been dead for some years, and his widow
lived at a distance of twenty miles from Naples. I resolved not
to return to Rome without embracing her. As to Lelio Caraffa, he
was still alive and residing at the Matalone Palace.
I returned, feeling tired with my researches, dressed with care,
and drove to the Matalone Palace, where they told me that the duke
was at table. I did not care for that but had my name sent in,
and the duke came out and did me the honour of embracing me and
thouing me, and then presented me to his wife, a daughter of the
Duke de Bovino, and to the numerous company at table. I told him
I had only come to Naples in fulfillment of the promise I had made
him at Paris.
"Then," said he, "you must stay with me;" and, without waiting for
my answer, ordered my luggage to be brought from the inn, and my
carriage to be placed in his coach-house. I accepted his
invitation.
One of the guests, a fine-looking man, on hearing my name
announced, said gaily,--
"If you bear my name, you must be one of my father's bastards."
"No," said I, directly, "one of your mother's."
This repartee made everybody laugh, and the gentleman who had
addressed me came and embraced me, not in the least offended. The
joke was explained to me. His name was Casalnovo, not Casanova,
and he was duke and lord of the fief of that name.
"Did you know," said the Duke de Matalone, "that I had a son?"
"I was told so, but did not believe it, but now I must do penance
for my incredulity, for I see before me an angel capable of
working this miracle."
The duchess blushed, but did not reward my compliment with so much
as a glance; but all the company applauded what I had said, as it
was notorious that the duke had been impotent before his marriage.
The duke sent for his son, I admired him, and told the father that
the likeness was perfect. A merry monk, who sat at the right hand
of the duchess, said, more truthfully, that there was no likeness
at all. He had scarcely uttered the words when the duchess coolly
gave him a box on the ear, which the monk received with the best
grace imaginable.
I talked away to the best of my ability, and in half an hour's
time I had won everybody's good graces, with the exception of the
duchess, who remained inflexible. I tried to make her talk for
two days without success; so as I did not care much about her I
left her to her pride.
As the duke was taking me to my room he noticed my Spaniard, and
asked where my secretary was, and when he saw that it was the Abbe
Alfani, who had taken the title so as to escape the notice of the
Neapolitans, he said,--
"The abbe is very wise, for he has deceived so many people with
his false antiques that he might have got into trouble."
He took me to his stables where he had some superb horses, Arabs,
English, and Andalusians ; and then to his gallery, a very fine
one; to his large and choice library; and at last to his study,
where he had a fine collection of prohibited books.
I was reading titles and turning over leaves, when the duke said,--
"Promise to keep the most absolute secrecy on what I am going to
shew you."
I promised, without making any difficulty, but I expected a
surprise of some sort. He then shewed me a satire which I could
not understand, but which was meant to turn the whole Court into
ridicule. Never was there a secret so easily kept.
"You must come to the St. Charles Theatre," said he, "and I will
present you to the handsomest ladies in Naples, and afterwards you
can go when you like, as my box is always open to my friends. I
will also introduce you to my mistress, and she, I am sure, will
always be glad to see you."
"What! you have a mistress, have you?"
"Yes, but only for form's sake, as I am very fond of my wife. All
the same, I am supposed to be deeply in love with her, and even
jealous, as I never introduce anyone to her, and do not allow her
to receive any visitors."
"But does not your young and handsome duchess object to your
keeping a mistress?"
"My wife could not possibly be jealous, as she knows that I am
impotent--except, of course, with her."
"I see, but it sems strange; can one be said to have a mistress
whom one does not love?"
"I did not say I loved her not; on the contrary, I am very fond of
her; she has a keen and pleasant wit, but she interests my head
rather than my heart."
"I see; but I suppose she is ugly?"
"Ugly? You shall see her to-night, and you can tell me what you
think of her afterwards. She is a handsome and well-educated girl
of seventeen."
"Can she speak French?"
"As well as a Frenchwoman."
"I am longing to see her."
When we got to the theatre I was introduced to several ladies, but
none of them pleased me. The king, a mere boy, sat in his box in
the middle of the theatre, surrounded by his courtiers, richly but
tastefully dressed. The pit was full and the boxes also. The
latter were ornamented with mirrors, and on that occasion were all
illuminated for some reason or other. It was a magnificent scene,
but all this glitter and light put the stage into the background.
After we had gazed for some time at the scene, which is almost
peculiar to Naples, the duke took me to his private box and
introduced me to his friends, who consisted of all the wits in the
town.
I have often laughed on hearing philosophers declare that the
intelligence of a nation is not so much the result of the climate
as of education. Such sages should be sent to Naples and then to
St. Petersburg, and be told to reflect, or simply to look before
them. If the great Boerhaave had lived at Naples he would have
learnt more about the nature of sulphur by observing its effects
on vegetables, and still more on animals. In Naples, and Naples
alone, water, and nothing but water, will cure diseases which are
fatal elsewhere, despite the doctors' efforts.
The duke, who had left me to the wits for a short time, returned
and took me to the box of his mistress, who was accompanied by an
old lady of respectable appearance. As he went in he said,
"'Leonilda mia, ti presento il cavalier Don Giacomo Casanova,
Veneziano, amico mio'."
She received me kindly and modestly, and stopped listening to the
music to talk to me.
When a woman is pretty, one recognizes her charms instantaneously;
if one has to examine her closely, her beauty is doubtful.
Leonilda was strikingly beautiful. I smiled and looked at the
duke, who had told me that he loved her like a daughter, and that
he only kept her for form's sake. He understood the glance, and
said,--
"You may believe me."
"It's credible," I replied.
Leonilda no doubt understood what we meant, and said, with a shy
smile,--
"Whatever is possible is credible."
"Quite so," said I, "but one may believe, or not believe,
according to the various degrees of possibility."
"I think it's easier to believe than to disbelieve. You came to
Naples yesterday; that's true and yet incredible."
"Why incredible?"
"Would any man suppose that a stranger would come to Naples at a
time when the inhabitants are wishing themselves away?"
"Indeed, I have felt afraid till this moment, but now I feel quite
at my ease, since, you being here, St. Januarius will surely
protect Naples."
"Why?"
"Because I am sure he loves you; but you are laughing at me."
"It is such a funny idea. I am afraid that if I had a lover like
St. Januarius I should not grant him many favours."
"Is he very ugly, then?"
"If his portrait is a good likeness, you can see for yourself by
examining his statue."
Gaiety leads to freedom, and freedom to friendship. Mental graces
are superior to bodily charms.
Leonilda's frankness inspired my confidence, and I led the
conversation to love, on which she talked like a past mistress.
"Love," said she, "unless it leads to the possession of the
beloved object, is a mere torment; if bounds are placed to
passion, love must die."
"You are right; and the enjoyment of a beautiful object is not a
true pleasure unless it be preceded by love."
"No doubt if love precedes it accompanies, but I do not think it
necessarily follows, enjoyment."
"True, it often makes love to cease."
"She is a selfish daughter, then, to kill her father; and if after
enjoyment love still continue in the heart of one, it is worse
than murder, for the party in which love still survives must needs
be wretched."
"You are right; and from your strictly logical arguments I
conjecture that you would have the senses kept in subjection: that
is too hard!"
"I would have nothing to do with that Platonic affection devoid of
love, but I leave you to guess what my maxim would be."
"To love and enjoy; to enjoy and love. Turn and turn about."
"You have hit the mark."
With this Leonilda burst out laughing, and the duke kissed her
hand. Her governess, not understanding French, was attending to
the opera, but I was in flames.
Leonilda was only seventeen, and was as pretty a girl as the heart
could desire.
The duke repeated a lively epigram of Lafontaine's on "Enjoyment,"
which is only found in the first edition of his works. It begins
as follows:--
"La jouissance et les desirs
Sont ce que l'homme a de plus rare;
Mais ce ne sons pas vrais plaisirs
Des le moment qu'on les separe."
I have translated this epigram into Italian and Latin; in the
latter language I was almost able to render Lafontaine line for
line; but I had to use twenty lines of Italian to translate the
first ten lines of the French. Of course this argues nothing as
to the superiority of the one language over the other.
In the best society at Naples one addresses a newcomer in the
second person singular as a peculiar mark of distinction. This
puts both parties at their ease without diminishing their mutual
respect for one another.
Leonilda had already turned my first feeling of admiration into
something much warmer, and the opera, which lasted for five hours,
seemed over in a moment.
After the two ladies had gone the duke said, "Now we must part,
unless you are fond of games of chance."
"I don't object to them when I am to play with good hands."
"Then follow me; ten or twelve of my friends will play faro, and
then sit down to a cold collation, but I warn you it is a secret,
as gaming is forbidden. I will answer for you keeping your own
counsel, however."
"You may do so."
He took me to the Duke de Monte Leone's. We went up to the third
floor, passed through a dozen rooms, and at last reached the
gamester's chamber. A polite-looking banker, with a bank of about
four hundred sequins, had the cards in his hands. The duke
introduced me as his friend, and made me sit beside him. I was
going to draw out my purse, but I was told that debts were not
paid for twenty-four hours after they were due. The banker gave
me a pack of cards, with a little basket containing a thousand
counters. I told the company that I should consider each counter
as a Naples ducat. In less than two hours my basket was empty. I
stopped playing and proceeded to enjoy my supper. It was arranged
in the Neapolitan style, and consisted of an enormous dish of
macaroni and ten or twelve different kinds of shellfish which are
plentiful on the Neapolitan coasts. When we left I took care not
to give the duke. time to condole with me on my loss, but began
to talk to him about his delicious Leonilda.
Early next day he sent a page to my room to tell me that if I
wanted to come with him and kiss the king's hand I must put on my
gala dress. I put on a suit of rose-coloured velvet, with gold
spangles, and I had the great honour of kissing a small hand,
covered with chilblains, belonging to a boy of nine. The Prince
de St. Nicander brought up the young king to the best of his
ability, but he was naturally a kindly, just, and generous
monarch; if he had had more dignity he would have been an ideal
king; but he was too unceremonious, and that, I think, is a defect
in one destined to rule others.
I had the honour of sitting next the duchess at dinner, and she
deigned to say that she had never seen a finer dress. "That's my
way," I said, "of distracting attention from my face and figure."
She smiled, and her politeness to me during my stay were almost
limited to these few words.
When we left the table the duke took me to the apartment occupied
by his uncle, Don Lelio, who recognized me directly. I kissed the
venerable old man's hand, and begged him to pardon me for the
freaks of my youth. "It's eighteen years ago," said he, "since I
chose M. Casanova as the companion of your studies" I delighted
him by giving him a brief account of my adventures in Rome with
Cardinal Acquaviva. As we went out, he begged me to come and see
him often.
Towards the evening the duke said,--
"If you go to the Opera Buffa you will please Leonilda."
He gave me the number of her box, and added,--
"I will come for you towards the close, and we will sup together
as before."
I had no need to order my horses to be put in, as there was always
a carriage ready for me in the courtyard.
When I got to the theatre the opera had begun. I presented myself
to Leonilda, who received me with the pleasant words, "Caro Don
Giacomo, I am so pleased to see you again."
No doubt she did not like to thou me, but the expression of her
eyes and the tone of her voice were much better than the to which
is often used lavishly at Naples.
The seductive features of this charming girl were not altogether
unknown to me, but I could not recollect of what woman she
reminded me. Leonilda was certainly a beauty, and something
superior to a beauty, if possible. She had splendid light
chestnut hair, and her black and brilliant eyes, shaded by thick
lashes, seemed to hear and speak at the same time. But what
ravished me still more was her expression, and the exquisite
appropriateness of the gestures with which she accompanied what
she was saying. It seemed as if her tongue could not give speech
to the thoughts which crowded her brain. She was naturally quick-
witted, and her intellect had been developed by an excellent
education.
The conversation turned upon Lafontaine's epigram, of which I had
only recited the first ten verses, as the rest is too licentious;
and she said,--
"But I suppose it is only a poet's fancy, at which one could but
smile."
"Possibly, but I did not care to wound your ears."
"You are very good," said she, using the pleasant tu, "but all the
same, I am not so thin-skinned, as I have a closet which the duke
has had painted over with couples in various amorous attitudes.
We go there sometimes, and I assure you that I do not experience
the slightest sensation."
"That may be through a defect of temperament, for whenever I see
well-painted voluptuous pictures I feel myself on fire. I wonder
that while you and the duke look at them, you do not try to put
some of them into practice."
"We have only friendship for one another."
"Let him believe it who will."
"I am sure he is a man, but I am unable to say whether he is able
to give a woman any real proofs of his love."
"Yet he has a son."
"Yes, he has a child who calls him father; but he himself
confesses that he is only able to shew his manly powers with his
wife."
"That's all nonsense, for you are made to give birth to amorous
desires, and a man who could live with you without being able to
possess you ought to cease to live."
"Do you really think so?"
"Dear Leonilda, if I were in the duke's place I would shew you
what a man who really loves can do."
"Caro Don Giacomo, I am delighted to hear you love me, but you
will soon forget me, as you are leaving Naples."
"Cursed be the gaming-table, for without it we might spend some
delightful hour together."
"The duke told me that you lost a thousand ducats yesterday
evening like a perfect gentleman. You must be very unlucky."
"Not always, but when I play on a day in which I have fallen in
love I am sure to lose."
"You will win back your money this evening."
"This is the declaration day; I shall lose again."
"Then don't play."
"People would say I was afraid, or that all my money was gone."
"I hope at all events that you will win sometimes, and that you
will tell me of your good luck. Come and see me to-morrow with
the duke."
The duke came in at that moment, and asked me if I had liked the
opera. Leonilda answered for me,
"We have been talking about love all the time, so we don't know
what has been going on the stage."
"You have done well."
"I trust you will bring M. Casanova to see me tomorrow morning,
as I hope he will bring me news that he has won."
"It's my turn to deal this evening, dearest, but whether he wins
or loses you shall see him to-morrow. You must give us some
breakfast."
"I shall be delighted."
We kissed her hand, and went to the same place as the night
before. The company was waiting for the duke. There were twelve
members of the club, and they all held the bank in turn. They
said that this made the chances more equal; but I laughed at this
opinion, as there is nothing more difficult to establish than
equality between players.
The Duke de Matalone sat down, drew out his purse and his pocket-
book, and put two thousand ducats in the bank, begging pardon of
the others for doubling the usual sum in favour of the stranger.
The bank never exceeded a thousand ducats.
"Then," said I, "I will hazard two thousand ducats also and not
more, for they say at Venice that a prudent player never risks
more than he can win. Each of my counters will be equivalent to
two ducats." So saying, I took ten notes of a hundred ducats each
from my pocket, and gave them to the last evening's banker who had
won them from me.
Play began; and though I was prudent, and only risked my money on
a single card, in less than three hours my counters were all gone.
I stopped playing, though I had still twenty-five thousand ducats;
but I had said that I would not risk more than two thousand, and I
was ashamed to go back from my word.
Though I have always felt losing my money, no one has ever seen me
put out, my natural gaiety was heightened by art on such
occasions, and seemed to be more brilliant than ever. I have
always found it a great advantage to be able to lose pleasantly.
I made an excellent supper, and my high spirits furnished me with
such a fund of amusing conversation that all the table was in a
roar. I even succeeded in dissipating the melancholy of the Duke
de Matalone, who was in despair at having won such a sum from his
friend and guest. He was afraid he had half ruined me, and also
that people might say he had only welcomed me for the sake of my
money.
As we returned to the palace the conversation was affectionate on
his side and jovial on mine, but I could see he was in some
trouble, and guessed what was the matter. He wanted to say that I
could pay the money I owed him whenever I liked, but was afraid of
wounding my feelings; but as soon as he got in he wrote me a
friendly note to the effect that if I wanted money his banker
would let me have as much as I required. I replied directly that
I felt the generosity of his offer, and if I was in need of funds
I would avail myself of it.
Early next morning I went to his room, and after an affectionate
embrace I told him not to forget that we were going to breakfast
with his fair mistress. We both put on great coats and went to
Leonilda's pretty house.
We found her sitting up in bed, negligently but decently dressed,
with a dimity corset tied with red ribbons. She looked beautiful,
and her graceful posture added to her charms. She was reading
Crebillon's Sopha. The duke sat down at the bottom of the bed,
and I stood staring at her in speechless admiration, endeavouring
to recall to my memory where I had seen such another face as hers.
It seemed to me that I had loved a woman like her. This was the
first time I had seen her without the deceitful glitter of
candles. She laughed at my absent-mindedness, and told me to sit
down on a chair by her bedside.
The duke told her that I was quite pleased at having lost two
thousand ducats to his bank, as the loss made me sure she loved
me.
"Caro mio Don Giacomo, I am sorry to hear that! You would have
done better not to play, for I should have loved you all the same,
and you would have been two thousand ducats better off."
"And I two thousand ducats worse off," said the duke, laughing.
"Never mind, dear Leonilda, I shall win this evening if you grant
me some favour to-day. If you do not do so, I shall lose heart,
and you will mourn at my grave before long."
"Think, Leonilda, what you can do for my friend."
"I don't see that I can do anything."
The duke told her to dress, that we might go and breakfast in the
painted closet. She began at once, and preserved a just mean in
what she let us see and what she concealed, and thus set me in
flames, though I was already captivated by her face, her wit, and
her charming manners. I cast an indiscreet glance towards her
beautiful breast, and thus added fuel to the fire. I confess that
I only obtained this satisfaction by a species of larceny, but I
could not have succeeded if she had not been well disposed towards
me. I pretended to have seen nothing.
While dressing she maintained with much ingenuity that a wise girl
will be much more chary of her favours towards a man she loves
than towards a man she does not love, because she would be afraid
to lose the first, whereas she does not care about the second.
"It will not be so with me, charming Leonilda," said I.
"You make a mistake, I am sure."
The pictures with which the closet where we breakfasted was
adorned were admirable more from the colouring and the design than
from the amorous combats they represented.
"They don't make any impression on me," said the duke, and he
shewed us that it was so.
Leonilda looked away, and I felt shocked, but concealed my
feelings.
"I am in the same state as you," said I, "but I will not take the
trouble of convincing you."
"That can't be," said he; and passing his hand rapidly over me he
assured himself that it was so. "It's astonishing," he cried;
"you must be as impotent as I am."
"If I wanted to controvert that assertion one glance into
Leonilda's eyes would be enough."
"Look at him, dearest Leonilda, that I may be convinced."
Leonilda looked tenderly at me, and her glance produced the result
I had expected.
"Give me your hand," said I, to the poor duke, and he did so.
"I was in the wrong," he exclaimed, but when he endeavoured to
bring the surprising object to light I resisted. He persisted in
his endeavours, and I determined to play on him a trick. I took
Leonilda's hand and pressed my lips to it, and just as the duke
thought he had triumphed I besprinkled him, and went off into a
roar of laughter. He laughed too, and went to get a napkin.
The girl could see nothing of all this, as it went on under the
table; and while my burning lips rested on her hand, my eyes were
fixed on hers and our breath mingled. This close contact had
enabled me to baptise the duke, but when she took in the joke we
made a group worthy of the pen of Aretin.
It was a delightful breakfast, though we passed certain bounds
which decency ought to have proscribed to us, but Leonilda was
wonderfully innocent considering her position. We ended the scene
by mutual embraces, and when I took my burning lips from
Leonilda's I felt consumed with a fire which I could not conceal.
When we left I told the duke that I would see his mistress no
more, unless he would give her up to me, declaring that I would
marry her and give her a dower of five thousand ducats.
"Speak to her, and if she consents I will not oppose it. She
herself will tell you what property she has."
I then went to dress for dinner. I found the duchess in the midst
of a large circle, and she told me kindly that she was very sorry
to hear of my losses.
"Fortune is the most fickle of beings, but I don't complain of my
loss--nay, when you speak thus I love it, and I even think that
you will make me win this evening."
"I hope so, but I am afraid not; you will have to contend against
Monte Leone, who is usually very lucky."
In considering the matter after dinner, I determined for the
future to play with ready money and not on my word of honour, lest
I should at any time be carried away by the excitement of play and
induced to stake more than I possessed. I thought, too, that the
banker might have his doubts after the two heavy losses I had
sustained, and I confess that I was also actuated by the gambler's
superstition that by making a change of any kind one changes the
luck.
I spent four hours at the theatre in Leonilda's box, where I found
her more gay and charming than I had seen her before.
"Dear Leonilda," I said, "the love I feel for you will suffer no
delay and no rivals, not even the slightest inconstancy. I have
told the duke that I am ready to marry you, and that I will give
you a dower of five thousand ducats."
"What did he say?"
"That I must ask you, and that he would offer no opposition."
"Then we should leave Naples together."
"Directly, dearest, and thenceforth death alone would part us."
"We will talk of it to-morrow, dear Don Giacomo, and if I can make
you happy I am sure you will do the same by me."
As she spoke these delightful words the duke came in.
"Don Giacomo and I are talking of marrying," said she.
"Marriage, mia carissima," he replied, "ought to be well
considered beforehand."
"Yes, when one has time; but my dear Giacomo cannot wait, and we
shall have plenty of time to think it over afterwards."
"As you are going to marry," said the duke, "you can put off your
departure, or return after the wedding."
"I can neither put it off nor return, my dear duke. We have made
up our minds, and if we repent we have plenty of time before us."
He laughed and said we would talk it over next day. I gave my
future bride a kiss which she returned with ardour, and the duke
and I went to the club, where we found the Duke de Monte Leone
dealing.
"My lord," said I, "I am unlucky playing on my word of honour, so
I hope you will allow me to stake money."
"Just as you please; it comes to the same thing, but don't trouble
yourself. I have made a bank of four thousand ducats that you may
be able to recoup yourself for your losses."
"Thanks, I promise to break it or to lose as much."
I drew out six thousand ducats, gave two thousand ducats to the
Duke de Matalone, and began to punt at a hundred ducats. After a
short time the duke left the table, and I finally succeeded in
breaking the bank. I went back to the place by myself, and when I
told the duke of my victory the next day, he embraced me with
tears of joy, and advised me to stake money for the future.
As the Princess de Vale was giving a great supper, there was no
play that evening. This was some respite. We called on Leonilda,
and putting off talking of our marriage till the day after we
spent the time in viewing the wonders of nature around Naples. In
the evening I was introduced by a friend at the princess's supper,
and saw all the highest nobility of the place.
Next morning the duke told me that he had some business to do, and
that I had better go and see Leonilda, and that he would call for
me later on. I went to Leonilda, but as the duke did not put in
an appearance we could not settle anything about our marriage. I
spent several hours with her, but I was obliged to obey her
commands, and could only shew myself amorous in words. Before
leaving I repeated that it only rested with her to unite our lives
by indissoluble ties, and to leave Naples almost immediately.
When I saw the duke he said,--
"Well, Don Giacomo, you have spent all the morning with my
mistress; do you still wish to marry her?"
"More than ever; what do you mean?"
"Nothing; and as you have passed this trial to which I purposely
subjected you, we will discuss your union tomorrow, and I hope you
will make this charming woman happy, for she will be an excellent
wife."
"I agree with you."
When we went to Monte Leone's in the evening, we saw a banker with
a good deal of gold before him. The duke told me he was Don Marco
Ottoboni. He was a fine-looking man, but he held the cards so
closely together in his left hand that I could not see them. This
did not inspire me with confidence, so I only punted a ducat at a
time. I was persistently unlucky, but I only lost a score of
ducats. After five or six deals the banker, asked me politely why
I staked such small sums against him.
"Because I can't see half the pack," I replied, "and I am afraid
of losing."
Some of the company laughed at my answer.
Next night I broke the bank held by the Prince the Cassaro, a
pleasant and rich nobleman, who asked me to give him revenge, and
invited me to supper at his pretty house at Posilipo, where he
lived with a virtuosa of whom he had become amorous at Palermo.
He also invited the Duke de Matalone and three or four other
gentlemen. This was the only occasion on which I held the bank
while I was at Naples, and I staked six thousand ducats after
warning the prince that as it was the eve of my departure I should
only play for ready money.
He lost ten thousand ducats, and only rose from the table because
he had no more money. Everybody left the room, and I should have
done the same if the prince's mistress had not owed me a hundred
ducats. I continued to deal in the hope that she would get her
money back, but seeing that she still lost I put down the cards,
and told her that she must pay me at Rome. She was a handsome and
agreeable woman, but she did not inspire me with any passions, no
doubt because my mind was occupied with another, otherwise I
should have drawn a bill on sight, and paid myself without
meddling with her purse. It was two o'clock in the morning when I
got to bed.
Both Leonilda and myself wished to see Caserta before leaving
Naples, and the duke sent us there in a carriage drawn by six
mules, which went faster than most horses. Leonilda's governess
accompanied us.
The day after, we settled the particulars of our marriage in a
conversation which lasted for two hours.
"Leonilda," began the duke, "has a mother, who lives at a short
distance from here, on an income of six hundred ducats, which I
have given her for life, in return for an estate belonging to her
husband; but Leonilda does not depend on her. She gave her up to
me seven years ago, and I have given her an annuity of five
hundred ducats, which she will bring to you, with all her diamonds
and an extensive trousseau. Her mother gave her up to me
entirely, and I gave my word of honour to get her a good husband.
I have taken peculiar care of her education, and as her mind has
developed I have put her on her guard against all prejudices, with
the exception of that which bids a woman keep herself intact for
her future husband. You may rest assured that you are the first
man whom Leonilda (who is a daughter to me) has pressed to her
heart."
I begged the duke to get the contract ready, and to add to her
dower the sum of five thousand ducats, which I would give him when
the deed was signed.
"I will mortgage them," said he, "on a house which is worth
double."
Then turning to Leonilda, who was shedding happy tears, he said,--
"I am going to send for your mother, who will be delighted to sign
the settlement, and to make the acquaintance of your future
husband."
The mother lived at the Marquis Galiani's, a day's journey from
Naples. The duke said he would send a carriage for her the next
day, and that we could all sup together the day after.
"The law business will be all done by then, and we shall be able
to go to the little church at Portici, and the priest will marry
you. Then we will take your mother to St. Agatha and dine with
her, and you can go your way with her maternal blessing."
This conclusion gave me an involuntary shudder, and Leonilda fell
fainting in the duke's arms. He called her dear child, cared for
her tenderly, and brought her to herself.
We all had to wipe our eyes, as we were all equally affected.
I considered myself as a married man and under obligation to alter
my way of living, and I stopped playing. I had won more than
fifteen thousand ducats, and this sum added to what I had before
and Leonilda's dowry should have sufficed for an honest
livelihood.
Next day, as I was at supper with the duke and Leonilda, she
said,--
"What will my mother say to-morrow evening, when she sees you?"
"She will say that you are silly to marry a stranger whom you have
only known for a week. Have you told her my name, my nation, my
condition, and my age?"
"I wrote to her as follows:
"'Dear mamma, come directly and sign my marriage contract with a
gentleman introduced to me by the duke, with whom I shall be
leaving for Rome on Monday next.'"
"My letter ran thus," said the duke,
"'Come without delay, and sign your daughter's marriage contract,
and give her your blessing. She has wisely chosen a husband old
enough to be her father; he is a friend of mine.'"
"That's not true," cried Leonilda, rushing to my arms, "she will
think you are really old, and I am sorry."
"Is your mother an elderly woman?"
"She's a charming Woman," said the duke, "full of wit, and not
thirty-eight yet."
"What has she got to do with Galiani?"
"She is an intimate friend of the marchioness's, and she lives
with the family but pays for her board."
Next morning, having some business with my banker to attend to, I
told the duke that I should not be able to see Leonilda till
supper-time. I went there at eight o'clock and I found the three
sitting in front of the fire.
"Here he is!" cried the duke.
As soon as the mother saw me she screamed and fell nearly fainting
on a chair. I looked at her fixedly for a minute, and exclaimed,--
"Donna Lucrezia! I am fortunate indeed!"
"Let us take breath, my dear friend. Come and sit by me. So you
are going to marry my daughter, are you?"
I took a chair and guessed it all. My hair stood on end, and I
relapsed into a gloomy silence.
The stupefied astonishment of Leonilda and the duke cannot be
described. They could see that Donna Lucrezia and I knew each
other, but they could not get any farther. As for myself, as I
pondered gloomily and compared Leonilda's age with the period at
which I had been intimate with Lucrezia Castelli, I could see that
it was quite possible that she might be my daughter; but I told
myself that the mother could not be certain of the fact, as at the
time she lived with her husband, who was very fond of her and not
fifty years of age. I could bear the suspense no longer, so,
taking a light and begging Leonilda and the duke to excuse me, I
asked Lucrezia to come into the next room with me.
As soon as she was seated, she drew me to her and said,--
"Must I grieve my dear one when I have loved so well? Leonilda is
your daughter, I am certain of it. I always looked upon her as
your daughter, and my husband knew it, but far from being angry,
he used to adore her. I will shew you the register of her birth,
and you can calculate for yourself. My husband was at Rome, and
did not see me once, and my daughter did not come before her time.
You must remember a letter which my mother should have given you,
in which I told you I was with child. That was in January, 1744,
and in six months my daughter will be seventeen. My late husband
gave her the names of Leonilda Giacomina at the baptismal font,
and when he played with her he always called her by the latter
name. This idea of your marrying her horrifies me, but I cannot
oppose it, as I am ashamed to tell the reason. What do you think?
Have you still the courage to marry her? You seem to hesitate.
Have you taken any earnest of the marriage-bed?"
"No, dear Lucrezia, your daughter is as pure as a lily."
"I breathe again."
"Ah, yes! but my heart is torn asunder."
"I am grieved to see you thus."
"She has no likeness to me."
"That proves nothing; she has taken after me. You are weeping,
dearest, you will break my heart."
"Who would not weep in my place? I will send the duke to you; he
must know all."
I left Lucrezia, and I begged the duke to go and speak to her.
The affectionate Leonilda came and sat on my knee, and asked me
what the dreadful mystery was. I was too much affected to be able
to answer her; she kissed me, and we began to weep. We remained
thus sad and silent till the return of the duke and Donna
Lucrezia, who was the only one to keep her head cool.
"Dear Leonilda, said she, "you must be let into the secret of this
disagreeable mystery, and your mother is the proper person to
enlighten you. Do you remember what name my late husband used to
call you when he petted you?"
"He used to call me his charming Giacomina."
"That is M. Casanova's name; it is the name of your father. Go
and kiss him; his blood flows in your veins; and if he has been
your lover, repent of the crime which was happily quite
involuntary."
The scene was a pathetic one, and we were all deeply moved.
Leonilda clung to her mother's knees, and in a voice that
struggled with sobs exclaimed,--
"I have only felt what an affectionate daughter might feel for a
father"
At this point silence fell on us, a silence that was only broken
by the sobs of the two women, who held each other tightly
embraced; while the duke and I sat as motionless as two posts, our
heads bent and our hands crossed, without as much as looking at
each other.
Supper was served, and we sat at table for three hours, talking
sadly over this dramatic recognition, which had brought more grief
than joy; and we departed at midnight full of melancholy, and
hoping that we should be calmer on the morrow, and able to take
the only step that now remained to us.
As we were going away the duke made several observations on what
moral philosophers call prejudices. There is no philosopher who
would maintain or even advance the thesis that the union of a
father and daughter is horrible naturally, for it is entirely a
social prejudice; but it is so widespread, and education has
graven it so deeply in our hearts, that only a man whose heart is
utterly depraved could despise it. It is the result of a respect
for the laws, it keeps the social scheme together; in fact, it is
no longer a prejudice, it is a principle.
I went to bed, but as usual, after the violent emotion I had
undergone, I could not sleep. The rapid transition from carnal to
paternal love cast my physical and mental faculties into such a
state of excitement that I could scarcely withstand the fierce
struggle that was taking place in my heart.
Towards morning I fell asleep for a short time, and woke up
feeling as exhausted as two lovers who have been spending a long
and voluptuous winter's night.
When I got up I told the duke that I intended to set out from
Naples the next day; and he observed that as everybody knew I was
on the eve of my departure, this haste would make people talk.
"Come and have some broth with me," said he; "and from henceforth
look upon this marriage project as one of the many pranks in which
you have engaged. We will spend the three or four days pleasantly
together, and perhaps when we have thought over all this for some
time we shall end by thinking it matter for mirth and not sadness.
Believe me the mother's as good as the daughter; recollection is
often better than hope; console yourself with Lucrezia. I don't
think you can see any difference between her present appearance
and that of eighteen years ago, for I don't see how she can ever
have been handsomer than she is now."
This remonstrance brought me to my senses. I felt that the best
thing I could do would be to forget the illusion which had amused
me for four or five days, and as my self-esteem was not wounded it
ought not to be a difficult task; but yet I was in love and unable
to satisfy my love.
Love is not like merchandise, where one can substitute one thing
for another when one cannot have what one wants. Love is a
sentiment, only the object who has kindled the flame can soothe
the heat thereof.
We went to call on my daughter, the duke in his usual mood, but I
looking pale, depressed, weary, and like a boy going to receive
the rod. I was extremely surprised when I came into the room to
find the mother and daughter quite gay, but this helped on my
cure. Leonilda threw her arms round my neck, calling me dear
papa, and kissing me with all a daughter's freedom. Donna
Lucrezia stretched out her hand, addressing me as her dear friend.
I regarded her attentively, and I was forced to confess that the
eighteen years that had passed away had done little ill to her
charms. There was the same sparkling glance, that fresh
complexion, those perfect shapes, those beautiful lips--in fine,
all that had charmed my youthful eyes.
We mutely caressed each other. Leonilda gave and received the
tenderest kisses without seeming to notice what desires she might
cause to arise; no doubt she knew that as her father I should have
strength to resist, and she was right. One gets used to
everything, and I was ashamed to be sad any longer.
I told Donna Lucrezia of the curious welcome her sister had given
me in Rome, and she went off into peals of laughter. We reminded
each other of the night at Tivoli, and these recollections
softened our hearts. From these softened feelings to love is but
a short way; but neither place nor time were convenient, so we
pretended not to be thinking of it.
After a few moments of silence I told her that if she cared to
come to Rome with me to pay a visit to her sister Angelique, I
would take her back to Naples at the beginning of Lent. She
promised to let me know whether she could come on the following
day.
I sat between her and Leonilda at dinner; and as I could no longer
think of the daughter, it was natural that my old flame for
Lucrezia should rekindle; and whether from the effect of her
gaiety and beauty, or from my need of someone to love, or from the
excellence of the wine, I found myself in love with her by the
dessert, and asked her to take the place which her daughter was to
have filled.
"I will marry you," said I, "and we will all of us go to Rome on
Monday, for since Leonilda is my daughter I do not like to leave
her at Naples."
At this the three guests looked at each other and said nothing. I
did not repeat my proposal, but led the conversation to some other
topic.
After dinner I felt sleepy and lay down on a bed, and did not wake
till eight o'clock, when to my surprise I found that my only
companion was Lucrezia, who was writing. She heard me stir, and
came up to me and said affectionately,--
"My dear friend, you have slept for five hours; and as I did not
like to leave you alone I would not go with the duke and our
daughter to the opera."
The memory of former loves awakens when one is near the once
beloved object, and desires rapidly become irresistible if the
beauty still remain. The lovers feel as if they were once more in
possession of a blessing which belongs to them, and of which they
have been long deprived by unfortunate incidents. These were our
feelings, and without delay, without idle discussion, and above
all, without false modesty, we abandoned ourselves to love, the
only true source of nature.
In the first interval, I was the first to break the silence; and
if a man is anything of a wit, is he the less so at that delicious
moment of repose which follows on an amorous victory?
"Once again, then," said I, "I am in this charming land which I
entered for the first time to the noise of the drum and the rattle
of musket shots."
This remark made her laugh, and recalled past events to her
memory. We recollected with delight all the pleasures we had
enjoyed at Testaccio, Frascati, and Tivoli. We reminded each
other of these events, only to make each other laugh; but with two
lovers, what is laughter but a pretext for renewing the sweet
sacrifice of the goddess of Cythera?
At the end of the second act, full of the enthusiasm of the
fortunate lover, I said,--
"Let us be united for life; we are of the same age, we love each
other, our means are sufficient for us, we may hope to live a
happy life, and to die at the same moment."
"Tis the darling wish of my heart," Lucrezia replied, "but let us
stay at Naples and leave Leonilda to the duke. We will see
company, find her a worthy husband, and our happiness will be
complete."
"I cannot live at Naples, dearest, and you know that your daughter
intended to leave with me."
"My daughter! Say our daughter. I see that you are still in love
with her, and do not wish to be considered her father."
"Alas, yes! But I am sure that if I live with you my passion for
her will be stilled, but otherwise I cannot answer for myself. I
shall fly, but flight will not bring me happiness. Leonilda
charms me still more by her intelligence than by her beauty. I
was sure that she loved me so well that I did not attempt to
seduce her, lest thereby I should weaken my hold on her
affections; and as I wanted to make her happy I wished to deserve
her esteem. I longed to possess her, but in a lawful manner, so
that our rights should have been equal. We have created an angel,
Lucrezia, and I cannot imagine how the duke . . ."
"The duke is completely impotent. Do you see now how I was able
to trust my daughter to his care?"
"Impotent? I always thought so myself, but he has a son"
"His wife might possibly be able to explain that mystery to you,
but you may take it for granted that the poor duke will die a
virgin in spite of himself; and he knows that as well as anybody."
"Do not let us say any more about it, but allow me to treat you as
at Tivoli."
"Not just now, as I hear carriage wheels."
A moment after the door opened, and Leonilda laughed heartily to
see her mother in my arms, and threw herself upon us, covering us
with kisses. The duke came in a little later, and we supped
together very merrily. He thought me the happiest of men when I
told him I was going to pass the night honourably with my wife
and daughter; and he was right, for I was so at that moment.
As soon as the worthy man left us we went to bed, but here I must
draw a veil over the most voluptuous night I have ever spent. If
I told all I should wound chaste ears, and, besides, all the
colours of the painter and all the phrases of the poet could not
do justice to the delirium of pleasure, the ecstasy, and the
license which passed during that night, while two wax lights
burnt dimly on the table like candles before the shrine of a saint.
We did not leave the stage, which I watered with my blood, till
long after the sun had risen. We were scarcely dressed when the
duke arrived.
Leonilda gave him a vivid description of our nocturnal labours,
but in his unhappy state of impotence he must have been thankful
for his absence.
I was determined to start the next day so as to be at Rome for the
last week of the carnival and I begged the duke to let me give
Leonilda the five thousand ducats which would have been her dower
if she had become my bride.
"As she is your daughter," said he, "she can and ought to take
this present from her father, if only as a dowry for her future
husband."
"Will you accept it, then, my dear Leonilda?"
"Yes, papa dear," she said, embracing me, "on the condition that
you will promise to come and see me again as soon as you hear of
my marriage."
I promised to do so, and I kept my word.
"As you are going to-morrow," said the duke, "I shall ask all the
nobility of Naples to meet you at supper. In the meanwhile I
leave you with your daughter; we shall see each other again at
suppertime."
He went out and I dined with my wife and daughter in the best of
spirits. I spent almost the whole afternoon with Leonilda,
keeping within the bounds of decency, less, perhaps, out of
respect to morality, than because of my labours of the night
before. We did not kiss each other till the moment of parting,
and I could see that both mother and daughter were grieved to lose
me.
After a careful toilette I went to supper, and found an assembly
of a hundred of the very best people in Naples. The duchess was
very agreeable, and when I kissed her hand to take leave, she
said,
"I hope, Don Giacomo, that you have had no unpleasantness during
your short stay at Naples, and that you will sometimes think of
your visit with pleasure."
I answered that I could only recall my visit with delight after
the kindness with which she had deigned to treat me that evening;
and, in fact, my recollections of Naples were always of the
happiest description.
After I had treated the duke's attendants with generosity, the
poor nobleman, whom fortune had favoured, and whom nature had
deprived of the sweetest of all enjoyments, came with me to the
door of my carriage and I went on my way.
